Forging a way into a new frontier always requires a pioneering spirit and immense patience. We met Kim Youngsoo, the new head of Amorepacific Premium BU, who spent much of his energy and time in the field bringing Amorepacific's beautiful journey to the world as an Asian Beauty Creator. During the interview, he maintained good eye contact for better communication and we could feel his warm leadership style that has successfully guided so many global branches. News Square introduces Kim Youngsoo and his fabulous look for the autumn season.

I first joined Pacific (the former name of Amorepacific) in a role for the Global Sales Division. My job was to manage cosmetics exports to North, Central and South America and Amorepacific US. At that time, there were two global branches in the U.S. (Los Angeles and New York) and one in Canada. In Central and South America, we had many partners in Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia. I remember that our brands were doing well in those markets: SAMMI, Meero, Tamspin and Mamonde for skincare and Nagrang for makeup.

For three years from 2001, I was in charge of sales and marketing for cosmetics stores in the U.S. for the New Jersey based Amorepacific US. I returned to Korea in 2004 to manage distributor sales of mise en scène and Happy Bath. That was a difficult time for me personally as I had never before worked in the area of domestic sales.

In 2007, I managed sales operation in America in my role as head of International Business Team and explored new business opportunities in Japan, Russia and Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan. The following year, I was assigned to ASEAN Office in Singapore as the company realigned its business to focus on Southeast Asia. My main task was to turn the joint ventures for five countries in the region into local branches, which laid the foundation of ASEAN RHQ. I felt such a profound sense of accomplishment when we turned around the declining sales of local branches.

Then, in 2011, at a time when India was rising as a promising emerging market, I moved to India Office and worked there for three years. We managed to open the first innisfree store in India after many twists and turns. In the process of adjusting our business in Southeast Asia, I moved back to ASEAN RHQ in Singapore, where I worked for two and a half years. Since the end of last year, I have worked as the head of Premium BU in our headquarters.

In the 1990s when I joined the company, our global business faced many challenges, like setting meetings with partners or business trips. Before the advent of the Internet and mobile phones, we had to use landline calls, telex or facsimile. "Palantir" on MS-DOS platform was used for word processing. After sending a letter typed with a typewriter through a fax, we had to wait until the next day for a reply and payment. That situation is unfathomable today.

At the time, we loaded cosmetic products in 20-foot or 40-foot containers in person and shipped them to Busan. We were really proud of ourselves and felt like we were truly contributing to Korea's export economy and presenting our brands and products to global customers. Back then, I was full of pride for the global business and those times remain a fond memory.

The answer to the question from Chae Ryeon of Makeup Research 1 Team, "What was your proudest moment?"

I believe that the most important attitude for a sojourning employee is trying to establish a good relationship with local employees. Regardless of one's nationality, acknowledging strength and working with trust will result in good outcomes.
I have been very lucky to meet a lot of really great colleagues in many different countries. What I noticed above is that, when you put yourself out there and make earnest endeavors to build relationships, other people really respond to that. I made every effort to take care of people from deep inside my mind. They still send me a note and show support with all their heart and I am forever grateful for those colleagues in global branches. They make me feel great about my life in this company.
Apparently, our company will continue to grow our business in global markets. It will be desirable if we can have open-mindedness in communicating and cooperating with local employees.

The answer to the question from Hong Hyungsoo of Makeup Production Team, "What is the most important mindset of a sojourning employee for global business and what is the secret to your success?"

Premium BU consists of ARITAUM, which is the major pillar of our distribution channel, and the leading brands for global business, LANEIGE, Mamonde and IOPE. As we continue to grow in global markets based on our success in Korea, we have secured great brand recognition and market position across the world. The problem is that the Korean market is slowing down. To better deal with it, we will focus on solidifying our dominance in Korea by strengthening the competitiveness of each brand and channel next year.
Premium BU's secret weapon is its strong, nationwide distribution network and the unique competitive advantage of each brand. In addition, we will grow the FT, ODYSSEY and HANYUL brands to grow our appeal among young customers and male customers.

The answer to the question from Byun Kyeonghyun of Mass Discount Store Sales 3 Team, "The organization chart of Premium BU seems exactly the same as the history of Amorepacific cosmetics. What is the most powerful weapon of Premium BU against aggressive global brands?"

People say leadership is defined by "continuous effort to be a better leader." I am very much aware that I need to improve greatly to be a better leader. That's why I strive to reflect and change all the time. This doesn't mean discrediting past efforts or achievements. I would rather acknowledge the past and reflect on shared experience with coworkers.
Leadership can be defined in many ways : insight, sense of mission, responsibility and communication. Personally I think it can be best defined as the capability to guide companions on a shared journey in the same direction. I hope my co-workers enjoy working with me and that they will remember me as a good leader.